It’s been way too long since I’ve written a blog post… things have been so busy with a 2yr old and a new Kindergartener! But my heart is bursting at the seams with so many signs of hope for a vegan world (one that doesn’t view and treat animals as commodities) that I had to get it all out! I’ve been vegetarian for 27yrs, and vegan for almost 10yrs, but I’ve never experienced such a real feeling of hope than I have in the past few months. I try to make choices everyday based on what I hope for now, and the future, however sometimes that future I envision feels a little too distant, and even like a pipe dream that only a small minority believe in, and are working towards. Until now. I no longer have to imagine the future; I can see it forming before my eyes. Signs that a vegan world is near are everywhere! The tipping point for me was through this recent experience that I’d love to share.

(I saw this sign outside of a coffee shop in NYC this summer)

I’m the organizer of the NYC Vegetarian and Vegan Families meetup group in NYC. It’s a dream to get together with other vegan parents, and for my kids to interact with other vegan kids. We have that “set of friends” and then we have other friends who aren’t vegan or vegetarian. Those two worlds were separate; living side by side. Until now... and this is what gives me the most hope.

Charlotte’s assistant pre-school teacher last year was vegan. What a surprise, and a relief. As the year progressed, I found out that one of Charlotte’s classmates, Ahsha was transitioning to a vegan diet. I was starting to feel like her transition was a symbolic sign of the world’s transition. Fast forward to this year. Just before school started, we found out that another girl in Charlotte’s Kindergarten class, Mila was vegetarian, and she lived only a few blocks away (they’ve since become besties!). Then, a few weeks into school, my daughter came home one day and said that one of her classmates, Eva, told her she was vegan. She barely finished her sentence and I was already on the computer emailing Eva’s mom…. “Is this true?” She replied back, “YES, Eva’s vegan!” This was the tipping point. It now felt like our previously separate vegan and non-vegan worlds were merging. They physically came together recently at our Halloween veg meetup when Mila and Eva attended, and joined Charlotte and her other vegan friends. My heart was bursting that day. This was a big deal for me, for Charlotte, and most importantly, the future.

Pictured above: Eva and Mila with Charlotte and her other vegan friends at our Halloween Party

Here are a few more signs from just the last couple of months:-- Charlotte’s Kindergarten teacher asked me to come into the classroom to talk about why we are vegan.

-- At our class potluck, when one parent found out we were vegan, she sent an email saying she would “leave off the cheese” on the salad she was making. This doesn’t sound like a huge deal on its own, but I really feel like it represents what I’ve noticed more and more lately. It’s a positive shift in the way people interact with me as a vegan. Overall, people seem less threatened, confrontational and more accommodating and open, like it's no big deal.

-- We signed up for a few classes at Freshmade NYC cooking studio. Most of the recipes they do are vegetarian, and can be “veganized.” I was hesitant to join because I anticipated my daughter sitting there with a set of ingredients separate from the rest of the class, but when I told them we were vegan, they decided to use vegan ingredients for the whole class. So in the first class, all of the kids made vegan pot pies, and in the next class they made veggie sushi and dessert sushi. After the class, I talked to the teacher who told me she was vegan! Everywhere I turn, a vegan pops up!

-- I attended an event at the iconic ABC Carpet and Home to celebrate with Tracey and Jon Stewart (who just left the Daily Show). They will be opening a sanctuary for rescued farm animals.

-- The World Health Organization (WHO) just came out with a report stating that processed meats cause cancer. This puts it in the same category as tobacco smoking and asbestos.

-- Mark Bittman, renowned New York Times op-ed columnist and food writer just left his “dream” job to join The Purple Carrot, a company that sells vegan food kits.

-- Major food chains all around the world are adding vegan options to their menus including the most recent: vegan ice-cream from Ben & Jerry’s, vegan burger at White Castle, and Taco Bell has over 26 vegan ingredients in their newly certified vegetarian menu. Guinness also just announced plans to make their beer vegan!

I see so many signs of hope that I couldn’t possibly list them all here, but they all point to a vegan world; a paradigm shift in the way we view and treat animals. The suffering of animals is now being recognized and considered in people’s food choices. When I became vegan even just 10yrs ago, and would mention it to a waiter/waitress or to other people, most of the time I’d get a blank stare in return, and have to explain what it meant. Nowadays it’s rare that I have to explain to anyone what a vegan is, especially in a restaurant. Everybody is familiar with the word vegan, and that’s the biggest sign of hope of all.

This is all part of the groundwork that needed to be laid in order for a vegan world to take hold.

Thanks to the many organizations and individuals who have worked tirelessly to lay this groundwork, the world now seems ready for a vegan shift. All of the pieces are falling into place for the next phase…which I feel is the adoption of plant-based meats (and even lab-grown meat). Companies such as Hampton Creek and Beyond Meat are leading the way. Even Bill Gates recognizes this as the future. In his own words from his blog...“Like most people, I don’t think I can be easily fooled. But that’s just what happened when I was asked to taste a chicken taco and tell whether the meat inside was real or fake. The meat certainly had the look and the smell of chicken. I took a bite and it had the taste and texture of real chicken, too. But I was surprised to learn that there wasn’t an ounce of real chicken it. The “meat” was made entirely of plants. And yet, I couldn’t tell the difference. What I was experiencing was more than a clever meat substitute. It was a taste of the future of food.” - Bill Gates

Yes, the “future of food.” Food that doesn't come from lonely, scared, stressed-out animals who’ve been confined in tiny cages and dark, filthy sheds their entire lives. Food that doesn't come from mothers who’ve had their babies taken away from them. Food that doesn't come from animals who've lived and died in the most atrocious conditions imaginable. Food that doesn't wreak havoc on the environment. Food that is healthier, more sustainable, and that doesn't cause animals to suffer.

Soon we’ll be able to relegate eating animals to the history books. I truly feel like that time will be sooner, rather than later.

"Teaching a child not to step on a caterpillar is as valuable to the child as it is to the caterpillar." - Bradley Millar

For the whales and dolphins who twirl around in endless circles in tiny concrete pools instead of swimming freely in the ocean… we will never go to a marine park or aquarium.For the millions of homeless dogs and cats sitting behind bars in shelters… we will never buy an animal from a pet store or breeder.For the sad elephants in the circus who are chained and forced to perform meaningless tricks for the sake of entertainment… we will never buy a ticket to the circus. For the vulnerable rabbits and mice who have chemicals dripped into their eyes and rubbed onto their sensitive skin… we will never buy products that have been tested on animals. For the foxes caged or trapped for the beautiful fur on their backs… we will never buy bags, boots or jackets made with fur.For the pigs forced to live in a crate so small they can’t even turn around… we will never eat hot dogs or bacon. For the elephantsand rhinos being brutally poached to the point of extinction for one of their body parts... we will never buy anything made from ivory or horns.For the sweet cows who have their babies taken from them right after birth, and are treated as milk machines… we will never eat ice cream, cheese, yogurt, or drink milk that was made for baby calves. For the hens who have their beaks cut off and are crammed into tiny cages so tightly they’re unable to even spread their wings… we will never eat eggs. For the over-worked horses forced to pull heavy carriages in loud, crowded cities… we will never ride in a horse drawn-carriage.For the fish who just want to be left alone, and not yanked out of the water by a hook through their mouth for the sake of someone's entertainment… we will never go fishing. For the horses and dogs forced to race around tracks for our amusement… we will never attend any animal races. For the miserable bears and gorillas living lonely, stressed-out and unnatural lives in captivity in zoos… we will never visit the zoo.

For the calves and bulls roped, chased and slammed to the ground in an arena full of cheering fans... we will never attend a rodeo.

For the ducks who have their feathers painfully plucked, and the sheep who have chunks of skin painfully cut from their back ends… we will never buy blankets, sweaters or winter hats made with down or wool.

For thecows and snakeswho have their skin taken from them... we will never buy leather or snakeskin clothing or purses. ﻿﻿

That’s what we won’t do…. but here’s what we will do!

We’ll go whale watching in the ocean to see whales and dolphins swimming freely. We’ll have coconut milkice-cream on a hot summer day. We’ll buy tickets to see incredible acrobats in Cirque Du Soleil. We’ll make the best vegan mac & cheesein the world! We’ll take baths withcruelty-free bubbles. We’ll visit farm sanctuaries and cuddle with animals who’ve been rescued from abuse and neglect. We’ll bake vegan cupcakes together. We’ll dye ceramic eggson Easter. We’ll decorate vegan gingerbread houses. We'll have non-dairy hot cocoa with vegan marshmallows on snowy days. We’ll go to Africa to see elephants, lions and giraffes living with their families in the wild. We’ll adopt a sweet dog from an animal shelter. We’ll read booksand watch movies that portray animals in a positive light. We’ll spend time with other vegan families who are living according to the same values of compassion. We'll walk in the park and listen to the birds, spot the squirrels and crouch down to see caterpillars and ants up close. We’ll do all of these things together as a family because we are strong, courageous and compassionate. In our actions, we will try to do the most good, and the least harm. We won’t take the easy path just because it’s been laid out for us. We’ll take the path that is good for the animals, and good for our souls. Someday we will look back on this time when humans caused countless animals to suffer so intensely for our food, entertainment, clothing and products, and people will talk about the heroes who stood up for these voiceless animals. You will be one of these heroes. Love,Mom

Many parents are faced with a dilemma when trying to plan their child's birthday party. They want a party that is not only fun, but one that doesn't contribute to the suffering of animals, harm the environment or include products made using unethical labor practices. This is the birthday party of the future. Read below for some suggestions on how to do this...

Charlotte standing under her homemade decorations in her party outfit from the local thrift store!

As parents, we're all extremely busy. If we can share ideas it will make our lives much easier, and we won't have to reinvent the wheel every time we do something like throw a birthday party. Let's work together to create a party that considers our kids, animals, other people, and the environment. I hope other parents are able to use some of these great ideas...As a current student of the Institute for Humane Education (IHE), I recently attended residency in Maine. I gave a presentation about how to throw a MOGO (Most Good, Least Harm) birthday party. Together, with my peers, we came up with tons of creative ideas on how to do this. I was able to use many of these ideas for my daughter's party this past summer.The venue was a pavillion at the beach. We covered the picnic tables with fabric tablecloths and scarves that my mom had in her closet, instead of using disposable, plastic tablecloths that would end up in a landfill after the party, not too mention which are full of potential nasty chemicals. Decorations usually consist of balloons, streamers, and other one-time use items that are just thrown away at the end of the party. I used one of the many ideas from my IHE classmates, and decided to decorate with what was available in nature. With my parent's help, I gathered sticks and vines from their yard. I found an old bag of colorful pipe cleaners in my craft bin, and we twisted those around the branches. My daughter was able to help with this, which made it that much more special! We hung these one-of-a-kind pieces of art in the pavillion; they looked beautiful. We also had flowers on the tables. More ideas for decorating the space from my classmates include: having the guests at the party paint pictures to hang up (or having your child do this beforehand), create centerpieces using flowers from your yard, found objects, painted rocks, or recycled materials, and make confetti using a hole puncher and old wrapping paper or greeting cards. You can also use old wrapping paper for tablecloths. Hang kites, wind chimes, pinwheels, and shells and see them flutter in the wind . If you end up buying a set of decorations, reuse them again the following year.

Nature Collage.

The food at the party was all vegan. No animals harmed in the making of this party! We had chips, veggies, homemade hummus, and salsa. I just couldn't get my act together this year (1yr old at home!) to make everything homemade, so we ordered Chinese food for the main meal. In hindsight, it wasn't the most eco-friendly option. While the Chinese food was delicious, it came with a lot of plastic packaging, so next year we'll get back to the basics and make our own food. Live and learn. Now onto the birthday cake! We had a vanilla cake with vanilla buttercream frosting from Whole Foods; my daughter requested that Merida from the movie Brave be on it. It was delicious and everyone--vegan or not-- loved it! My Mom spoiled us with a homemade vegan peach and strawberry cobbler that we topped with soy whip cream. We also had vegan chocolate chip cookies and fruit.

For plates, cups and utensils we used the pink, non-toxic, compostable, renewable, and made in North America, Susty Party brand from Whole Foods. For an outside location, it's harder to use real silverware and plates, but of course if you're able to do that, it's the best option.

Goodie bags and Party Favors are a staple of kids birthday parties. Most are filled with junky, fluorescent, toxic, plastic toys made in China that get used for about 10 minutes on the car ride home. After that, they end up in the landfill... along with the tablecloths and decorations! Just think about the amount of birthday parties per year, and how many goodie bags are given out. That's a lot of stuff! Such a waste. For my daughter's party, I combined the goodie bags and the activity, which was a great recommendation from my friends at my IHE residency. I reused brown paper bags from Whole Foods by cutting them down and attaching a handle made from the scraps of the bags. Each child was given a bag to collect whatever they could find in nature. The kids came back with grass, twigs, acorns, rocks, sand, and other interesting items. They used them to make a collage on construction paper covered cardboard. They took their finished masterpieces home with them; this served not only as an activity, but also as their goodie bag. Other ideas for party favors include thrift store toys, homemade vegan treats (kids can make them at the party), or any other craft made before or during the party. One of my classmates suggested decorating old oatmeal containers (or any type of round container), and using them as drums. When finished, kids can have a drum circle. Another classmate suggested buying stuffed animals from a thrift store and playing a habitat station game at the party. At the end, each child gets to take home their animal. For the actual bag part of the goodie bag, you can use recycled paper bags, cloth bags, or even old t-shirts tied with shoestring or ribbon.

Charlotte had a wonderful birthday party this year-- and the guests did too! Having a birthday party that's fun for everyone, and good for the planet and those who inhabit it, is the birthday party of the future. Birthday parties are just one example of an ingrained system that we can change... family by family. Each year we can learn from the year before and find a way to do it even better. I hope you'll join me in helping align birthday parties with our values to create a more sustainable and compassionate world for all!

HAPPY birthday....for all!If you have any more ideas, please share them in the comment section below...I'd love to hear them!

Looking for a fun, meaningful event to do with your kids? How about a vegan bake sale! Join one that's already happening in your area, or start your own! People from all over the world are participating in the 6th annual Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale that takes place this year between April 26 - May 4. Make it a fun family day--involve the kids through baking, promoting the sale, setting up the table, handling the money, picking the organization to donate the proceeds to, and more. Together, families can help raise awareness one delicious vegan bite at a time...

It's fun to see what everyone made, and to see customers enjoying your bake sale's tasty creations.

Delicious vegan cookies, cupcakes, banana bread, and other baked goods can be a surprisingly effective outreach tool. Often one bite can change a skeptic's impression of vegan food, and melt away fears that it is boring or unsatisfying.

Bake sales are a time-tested and popular fundraising technique.

At a bake sale, you're likely to meet others in your community and swap recipes, and get a wonderful sense of community.

Petey from Inhabitots.com

So what is the WVBS? It's almost too simple but maybe that's the key to its success over the last five years: Each year, around the end of April and the beginning of May, groups all over the world hold vegan bake sales. Each participating group signs up on the WVBS web site, but has complete control over its bake sale, including what to sell and what to do with the proceeds. Anyone can participate. If you can't do it during the “official” week, you can do it as close that week as possible. That's it!

Bake sale in Bethesda, MD.

The WVBS provides great opportunities for family involvement. For example:

You don't have to be an official group to hold a bake sale. Over the years, informal groups of friends, as well as kids on the front porch have organized successful bake sales as part of the WVBS.

School clubs and classes have participated. One advantage of doing it this way is that you already have an excellent place to hold and advertise your bake sale- the school!

Church, synagogue, mosque, or other religious groups can participate (and have participated) in the same fashion.

Girl or boy scout troops- same deal!

Moms and dads can help in all sorts of ways: serving food, decorating the bake sale table, handling the money at the bake sale, promoting, folding to-go boxes, taking pictures, and so forth.

The WVBS web site has tons of tips on how to have a great bake sale, from finding locations to connecting with bakers to getting the word out to setting prices. You probably will not find a more complete reference for bake sales.

If organizing your own bake sale isn't practical, you can check the WVBS schedule to see if there's a participating vegan bake sale near you, and if so, there are lots of opportunities for both kids and adults to help out with that event:

Bake something for it.

See if you can get a local bakery to donate items.

Help promote the bake sale.

Volunteer to help out at the table.

Note: If the sponsoring group is a registered charity, high school students may be able to receive community service credits by volunteering at the bake sale.

I want to suggest one last very simple but crucial thing you can do to help out vegan bake sales and the WVBS. But first...

Kerstin's Ⓥ kitchen

Bake sales are a great way for families to have fun and do good at the same time. With vegan bake sales specifically, you're helping to create a more peaceful and compassionate world. Other articles on this web site talk about the cruelty of dairy and eggs, so there's no need to repeat that here. But one of the many disturbing aspects of dairy and egg production-- and this applies to organic, free-range, and small operations, too-- is that it destroys animals' families. Baby calves are torn from their mothers on dairy farms, and egg-laying hens are denied growing up with a mother (almost all come from industrial hatcheries and are shipped to their destinations). Cows and hens are often looked upon as the epitome of doting, tender mothers. By showing people the deliciousness of vegan baked goods, you're gently but perhaps quite convincingly opening their eyes to a kinder alternative. To a degree, vegan bake sales are families helping families. And now for the final tip...if you don't have the time or other resources to organize or help out at a participating vegan bake sale, there is something else you can do, which is essential and very easy and enjoyable: Attend the nearest participating bake sale in your area, buy some tasty treats, contribute to a worthy cause, and support your local, talented, hard-working, creative vegan bakers!BIG THANK YOU to Gary Loewenthal for organizing such an important worldwide event!NOTE: If you are in the New York City area, the NYC Vegetarian and Vegan Families Meetup group will be hosting a family vegan bake sale on April 27. Location TBD. Join meetup to stay posted.

Here are some of my favorite suggestions on what to get vegan kids this holiday season. These gifts are animal/vegan-friendly and fun. They are gifts that inspire kindness and healthy living. Read on to find the perfect gift for your own vegan child, grandchild, nephew, niece, neighbor, or any other vegan kid you know...--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2014 Gift Guide for Vegan Kids

HOPSCOTCH KIDS NAIL POLISH is made just for kids. The nailpolish line is paraben free, vegan, fragrance free, toxin free and biodegradable. There are nearly 20 fun colors to choose from. My daughter loves her Hopscotch nailpolish!

The Rescue Princesses book series is perfect for the animal-loving kid-- it's geared to the age 7+ set. Each book centers around the princesses on a mission to rescue animals who need help. This includes wounded tigers, snow leopards, baby pandas, lion cubs, dolphins, dog thieves, and trapped deer. So if young girls are going to be obsessed with princesses (sigh...my own), then they should be compassionate and kind to animals, and these princesses are!

FUR & FEATHERS BOARD GAMEis an animal-friendly board game for kids.The object of the game is to save animals, and players do this through different methods. It's a fun game for the whole family, and it would make a wonderful present for that animal-loving veg kid in your life.

CYNTHIA KING BALLET SLIPPERS are beautiful! My daughter loves her pair. They're cruelty-free slippers made of canvas, and they come in 3 colors (fyi they have adult sizes too). They were even featured in Vogue magazine in Natalie Portman's cover shoot! Get a pair for the vegan dancers in your life.

Charlotte's Webis a classic movie that every kid should see. It's about a little pig who escapes his destiny as a meal, and befriends the other barnyard critters including Charlotte the spider. It's a really sweet movie with a powerful message. There are so many other great animal-friendly films including Chicken Run, Babe, Finding Nemo, Open Season, and the brand-new movie just recently in theaters, Free Birds. Check out this list for more.

Kidliciouscookbook for kids. This all plant-based cookbook has recipes that kids (and parents) will love. The book includes color photos and recipes that are healthy, fun, creative and easy to follow. Just to name a few: zebra pizza, monkey pancakes, refrigerator pickles, salad on a stick and apple nachos! Pair this cookbook with a kid's cooking tool kit to get your kids excited about getting in the kitchen to make healthy food together.

LUSH BATH BOMBS are so much fun for bathtime. Throw them in the tub, and watch them fizz as the water changes color. They come in many colors and scents. When they're finished "melting" in the water, some leave behind special surprises such as glitter, dried flowers or silver bells. It makes bathtime extra fun for kids.

VEGAN KID NECKLACE is a sweet gift that represents compassion. Kids should be proud to wear this. It's a reminder that their lifestyle is based on love and respect for all animals. It's a symbol of kindness.

As a mother, the new documentary Blackfish, about SeaWorld and the whales it confines, hit me especially hard. The film inspired me to write this post with the hope that after reading it, other parents might make the informed, compassionate decision to avoid SeaWorld and other places that house animals for entertainment purposes. So for all the whales living in these artificial facilities right now, please share this post far and wide.

I recently saw the new movie, Blackfish. I left the theater heartbroken, but also inspired to help whales living in miserable parks like SeaWorld. The movie is an expose about SeaWorld (with interviews from many former trainers) and it focused on Tilikum (Tilly), the orca whale who killed his trainer in 2010 (also linked to two other deaths). It's the backstory to Tilikum's life, from the beginning. There were a few things from the movie that I can't get out of my mind.

When Tilly was two years old he was captured in the wild-- just swimming with his mother in the ocean one minute, and the next he was literally being chased down by boats and pulled away from his mother's side by a net. In the movie, an orca hunter expresses his deep regret over capturing numerous whales years ago. (see below).

Baby Tilikum-- scared, confused, terrified-- was hoisted onto the boat with other babies and shipped to a shoddy marine amusement park in Canada. His life changed forever from that day forward, and he never saw his mother or anyone else in his family again. And he never will. This was 1983, and Tilikum is still in captivity. It's been 30 long, miserable years. It reminds me of the recent horrible case where three girls were kidnapped and held hostage for years in that house of horrors in Cleveland. Just like them, Tilikum was also kidnapped.

Whales are one of the most social animals on the planet. In the wild, they live in close family pods-- the adult offspring stay with their mothers forever.They can travel up to 100 miles a day, so can you imagine what it must be like for them to live in a tiny, concrete pool at SeaWorld day in and day out? Just like humans, whales have a limbic system in their brain that's responsible for emotions, however in whales the limbic system is extended, so scientists believe that they possess emotions that we can't even begin to understand. The complexity of their emotions goes way beyond what humans even feel. The suffering they must experience in captivity is inconceivable. When Tilikum was first captured thirty years ago, and sent to a Canadian marine park, he was bullied by the other whales. Whales in captivity have no relation to eachother-- they're just thrown together in unnatural groups. This causes stress and confusion, so often the whales engage in a behavior called "raking" where they aggressively bite/scratch one another, causing bloody wounds that resemble long rake marks. Tilikum was severely raked while at this park. I think the most heartbreaking part of the documentary was hearing about (and seeing) where Tilly spent most of his time....for many years. Everyday when the park closed (from 5pm to 7am the next morning) Tilly was put into a small, underwater steel box where he couldn't even turn around. It was pitch black. A torture chamber. I can't imagine the frustration, stress and loneliness that he must've felt all alone at night?

A former SeaWorld trainer in the film remembers one of the babies, Kalina, being separated from her mother, Katina in the tank in the middle of the night. She was shipped to another park where she'll likely spend the next 40 years living in a concrete pool and performing for visitors, just like her mother. The trainer remembers that this mother whale was always so quiet, but on the night that her baby was taken and the days following, he heard noises come from her that he'd never heard before. Screeching, screaming, crying. After that, she floated for hours every day in the corner of the pool just shaking.

If you are a mother or a father (or grandparent, aunt, uncle, or any human being), please don't support this industry that treats animals as mere property, with no regard for their emotional (and physical) well-being. Don't buy a ticket or give your money to places like this. SeaWorld tears families apart, and deprives one of the most social creatures on the planet a natural life in the ocean. By taking kids to places like SeaWorld, we teach them that it's OK to use animals for our entertainment-- and to forcefully take them out of their wild environment, separate them from their families, imprison them in tiny unnatural enclosures and force them to do tricks for paying customers by depriving them of food. If we want to teach our kids how majestic and wonderful whales are, take them whale-watching.

In captivity, whales are denied everything natural and important to them, including their own babies. They spend their days lonely, stressed-out and frustrated. Whales who've been separated from their families grieve and suffer in ways that we can't even comprehend. Companies like SeaWorld (and the visitors who support it) have ruined the lives of countless whales, all for the sake of human entertainment. It's tragic, but we can help end it. Don't take your families to SeaWorld or other facilities that house animals for entertainment purposes, and tell your friends and family to do the same. See the movie Blackfish, and encourage others to. Spread the word.

Looking for a summer camp that gives kids the knowledge, motivation, confidence and skills they need to make a positive difference in the world? And that serves vegan food? Youth Empowered Action (YEA) Camp will teach kids to be leaders, activists, compassionate citizens, and solutionaries.Read on to learn more about the inspiring, life-changing YEA camp...

Guest Post by Nora Kramer, Executive Director of Youth Empowered Action Camp (YEA)Many veg kids and their parents are accustomed to being one of a small minority not wanting to eat hot dogs, hamburgers, and other typical meat-based meals at school or camp, and perhaps tolerating some ignorant remarks from others, maybe about the food chain or a desert island.

But what about a summer camp that serves all vegan food, and has plenty of other campers and staff who also care about animals, the planet, and good health? Or a camp that is all about helping youth get more involved in community service, social justice, and activism for causes they care about? That is Youth Empowered Action (YEA) Camp, a week-long overnight camp with locations in northern California, Oregon, and Massachusetts.

YEA Camp, which is prepping for its fifth summer of programs for youth 12-17, is first and foremost a leadership program for young people who want to make a difference in the world. YEA's purpose is to support youth in getting active on an issue they care about once camp is over. The curriculum -- designed to build campers' knowledge, skills, confidence, and community support -- is engaging and fun, tapping into and expanding campers' passions and interests while affirming their power to make an impact on social issues they care about. Campers choose issues such as factory farming, school bullying, environmental protection, gay marriage, and more. They learn skills like how to start a school club, fundraise, and use art and social media for social change.

Alumni campers have done so many inspiring things after camp, it's hard to keep track or be surprised anymore. From launching school clubs, getting more vegan options in the school cafeteria, initiating school-wide anti-bullying programs, ending dissection in school biology classes, leading neighborhood clean-ups, holding fundraisers, and volunteering or interning with different nonprofit organizations, YEA Campers go home and make a difference on issues they care about for years to come.

While all of YEA Camp's food is vegan, being vegetarian or vegan is certainly not a requirement to attend, and in fact many campers have never given any more thought to going veg than the average teen. The vegan food is not the point of the camp -- changing the world is. YEA Camp seeks to bring our actions into alignment with our values and commitment to peace, compassion, equity, sustainability, and social justice. YEA Camp tries to model "being the change we wish to see in the world," as Gandhi said. Serving meat or dairy would undermine everything we are standing for.

At the beginning of camp, many non-veg campers are nervous about the food, while other campers who are vegan or vegetarian are beyond thrilled to be able to eat everything, and to not have to ask questions or eat the "alternative" or "special" meal at the side table, like at other camps. In the end, though, everyone is beyond impressed at the deliciousness of vegan cuisine, with kid-friendly meals such as French toast and pancakes for breakfast, mac n' cheeze and burritos for lunch, pizza with Daiya and veggie sushi for dinner, and chocolate chip cookies and brownies for dessert. Don't worry, there's also plenty of veggies and salads and gluten- and soy-free and other options too!

YEA Camp is an opportunity for youth to meet like-minded peers and adults, to pursue a cause that really matters to them, to get encouragement and training on how to make a difference in ways that feel right for them, and to have what many campers describe as a life-changing and unforgettable experience. And to eat amazing vegan food for a week while having a great time. Not a bad way to answer the question "How did you spend your summer vacation?"

YEA Camp 2013 will be held: California: July 14-21Oregon: July 27-August 3Massachusetts: August 10-17

YEA Camp helps to make arrangements for youth flying in from out of the area. To learn more about YEA Camp, take a look at this two-minute video or visit www.yeacamp.org.

If you could color Easter eggs in exactly the same way that you did as a child...AND not contribute to animal suffering by using real eggs, then wouldn't you? You can!Eggnots have arrived! Eggnots are ceramic eggs that look and feel the same as a real eggs. I hope all parents who care about animals will try these. Check out how beautiful the natural dyes came out...

I think it's important that as vegan parents, we don't isolate our kids or limit their experiences and activities just because they're vegan. Vegan kids shouldn't have to miss out on anything-- there's a vegan version for almost everything out there. With a little effort and creativity, parents can find or make alternatives to common and holiday non-vegan activities. This includes coloring eggs on Easter.

Of all the industries that use and abuse animals for food, the egg industry is arguably the worst in terms of animal treatment and suffering. Hundreds of millions of hens live in prison-like conditions-- stacked in wire cages on top of one another in filthy, windowless sheds where they're confined to a space the size of a piece of paper for their entire lives. Read more here.

Knowing the cruelty behind the egg industry, we could not in good conscience buy a carton of eggs and color them with our daughter. We had to find an alternative. The past few Easters, my daughter really enjoyed painting clay eggs, making paper mache eggs and doing other fun egg-type activities, but this year we were able to actually participate in a tradition that I remember doing as a child myself...dyeing "eggs" in mugs. We used the vegan-friendly Eggnots. They're so realistic that you'll think you're holding a real egg! I highly recommend them for vegan kids, as well as for kids who are allergic to eggs. I also recommend them for anyone who cares about animals-- it's one easy way to choose compassion over cruelty.

Eggnots are one of those products that give me hope and a glimpse into what the future can (and should) look like...a future that doesn't exploit animals for our needs and wants. Slowly, but surely, cruelty-free replicas are replacing non-vegan products. I think most people rely on animal products out of habit and comfort, but if you could have the same experience using a vegan version without harming an animal, then wouldn't you opt for that? Even Bill Gates gets this idea! He recently wrote a blog post on his website about how plant-based alternatives to animal food products are the key to a healthy, sustainable future!

Instead of using artificial store-bought dyes that in addition to being non-vegan, are also toxic, we decided to make our own using natural fruits and vegetables. Using this post as a guide, we created:

BLUE: blueberries (boiled frozen blueberries in hot water, then strained blueberries leaving just the juice)GREEN: chlorophyll (a few drops of liquid chlorophyll in mug)RED: cherry juiceYELLOW: turmeric (boiled water with a few teaspoons of turmeric)

The colors came out beautiful and vibrant as you can see from the pictures. I was pleasantly surprised. We will definitely be doing this again next year, and adding more colors to our mugs!

Thank you to the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) for writing this important guest post. KC Theisen tells us why we should avoid live animal photo shoots, and why we shouldn't give baby animals as Easter presents. Please share this post far and wide.

Photo credit: Constance Avellino

Guest post by KC Theisen from the Humane Society of the United StatesIt’s almost Easter, and you may be thinking it’s time to shake off the winter with a photo shoot at your local studio. As grown-ups we can’t help but be attracted to pictures of kids cuddling tiny bunnies, chicks and ducklings. Or sometimes we get so caught up in the excitement of the season that we want our kids to know the thrill of a real, live baby animal in the basket on Easter morning. But it’s not so simple. These tiny new lives will soon be adult rabbits, chickens and ducks, looking forward to a long and safe life. Do you expect that the photographer is going to keep the five bunnies and 25 ducklings they ordered online and assure them a good life? Is your son or daughter going to be thrilled to clean Easter Bunny’s litter pan in six months? Most Easter babies are cast off into the wild shortly after Easter, to die of exposure, starvation or predation. Lucky ones are surrendered to an animal sheltering organization, but they might spend months waiting to find their forever home.

This year, make a different choice. Consider giving a plush toy or a chocolate rabbit. Plush baby bunnies or chicks make fabulous gifts for your kids. They also make great photo props, don’t carry diseases and won’t suffer if your child outgrows them. A plush pet can go along with the kids on car rides, to school and become a lasting memento of springtime and Easter. If your family loves sweets, fill their baskets with delicious candy such as lollipops and jelly beans.

You can’t deny that kids and animals go together so don’t. Celebrate the season of renewal with a trip to an animal sanctuary or nature center, so your kids can see spring’s babies with their natural families. Or celebrate Easter at a local park, watching ducks on the pond and learning about our magnificent natural world. Visit or volunteer at your local animal shelter or humane society (find yours at http://theshelterpetproject.org)and let your kids get up close with the dogs, cats, puppies, kittens and even rabbits and ducks who were cast-off by impulse buyers last year.

And if you’ve thought it through carefully and are ready for a lifetime commitment, spring is the perfect time to open your home to a new addition. Adopt a pet who will remind your family for years to come that Easter is about celebrating life and sharing compassion with all living creatures.

Take a pass on the Easter babies as gifts or photography props this year. Make a different choice; a compassionate choice. Editor's Note: Looking for animal-friendly Easter books for kids? Check out the list at Vegbooks. All photos by Constance Avellino

Guest post written by KC Theisen, director of Pet Care Issues at The Humane Society of the United States.

Kids are the future of the vegan movement, so it's crucial that we involve them at events, conferences and festivals. Thank you to the NYC Veg Festival for offering a dedicated space just for families-- a place for parents to stop by and pick up information about raising vegan kids, and where kids could participate in vegan-friendly activities that promote kindness and compassion towards animals. The kids and their parents were inspired and empowered to make a difference for animals, the environment, and their own health.

We also had a table for kids to play the animal-friendly board game, Fur & Feathers, as well as table filled with printouts to color, including this fun Vegan Plate page. Another table was set up for the activities, including making healthy vegan snacks such as rice/kale balls and rice cakes with hummus/apple butter/apple sauce spreads, seeds and grapes used for making faces. There was a mat for kids to sit on and read from our kid's vegan library with books provided by Vegbooks. There was also a table set up for puppetmaking.

Also, congratulations to Danette Suarez who guessed how many fruits and veggies were in this jar (below). She guessed the exact number- 401!! The prize.... a Rainbow Kit donated by Kia Robertson from Today I Ate a Rainbow! Danette is a second grade teacher so she is looking forward to using it in her classroom!

Guess how many fruits and veggies?

Here are photos from the children's area...

Such a wonderful, jam-packed weekend full of activities to inspire and empower kids to be kind to animals...and eat healthy! Thank you to all who participated and made the children's area special for all of the kids and parents who stopped by.

My Talk on Raising Vegan Kids

I shared personal experiences as well as ideas, tips and resources I've gained from researching and talking with other vegan/vegetarian parents. Laying the Foundation Early to Raise a Compassionate, Healthy Child

PregnancyResearch shows that what a woman eats during pregnancy may shape food preferences later in life. In the womb, the baby gulps down several ounces of amniotic fluid a day and this fluid is flavored by the foods and beverages the mother has eaten. So what you eat in pregnancy can result in preferences for certain foods for a lifetime. In other words, if you eat broccoli while you're pregnant, there's a much better chance your baby will like broccoli. So for the sake of your baby, eat a varied, healthy diet and skip the soda, chips and ice cream!

Research also shows that the foods our children eat in the first 15 years of their lives is critical and has more of an impact in determining later diseases and illnesses than the last 50yrs of your life.

Here are a few tips to help develop HEALTHY eating patterns in children:Healthy eating is really 2 parts: It’s what we DON’T feed our kids (animal products), and its about what we DO and SHOULD feed our kids. Healthy eating is about adding nutrient-dense foods into your diet that fight cancer and other illnesses, and provide phytonutrients to keep us healthy. (Read: Disease Proof Your Child: Feeding Kids Right by Dr. Joel Fuhrman) Be Consistent: it can take up to 15 times exposure to a food before a child accepts/likes a food. Don't give up!

Be a good role model: you can’t snack on oreos and potato chips and expect your child to eat carrots and celery. Let your child see you eating healthy foods. Eat together.

Cook and bake with your kids: kids are more apt to try something that they’ve helped make. My daughter helps me by mixing and pouring ingredients, mashing up tofu in her hands for tofu scramble, ripping kale, and adding fruits to the blender for green smoothies. An added bonus is that she often eats half of it before the recipe is even finished! Buy kid-friendly baking tools, and a fun apron. This also reinforces science/math/motor skills!

Bring kids grocery shopping: let them pick out foods that they already like and also challenge them to find new foods that they want to try. Adults should do this too!

Grow vegetables in your backyard or windowsill if possible. Go to a farm to see vegetables growing in the ground. Also, pick-your-own fruits and veggies in season.

Remove the competition: just as you remove meat and dairy from your households, you should also remove the junk and processed foods. If kids are hungry and there isn't any junk food around, they'll be forced to grab something healthy to eat. Keep fruits and veggies visible out on the counter so when kids are hungry, that's the first thing they'll see/grab.

Redefine the word “snack” dessert” etc: snacks don’t have to be crackers, chips, ice cream, or sugary stuff, they can be what we typically view as breakfast, dinner, or side dishes. (Ex. pieces of roasted cauliflower, chickpeas, chunks of tofu). Dessert can be fruit, not ice cream. Try freezing 3 bananas and then blending them in a processor/vitamix, and you instantly have creamy banana ice cream using only one healthy ingredient (add peanut butter too)!Be Creative: make art/faces out of fruits and veggies. Put food on a kabob. Use cookie cutters to make shapes. Tell a story about a bunny who loved carrots, or Mitch Spinach, etc. Kia Robertson from Today I Ate a Rainbow recommends making it fun!Doctors- Dr’s receive little to no nutrition education (20hrs average, but some don't receive any training) in med school. Their courses have a heavy emphasis on treatment and pharmaceuticals, rather than prevention. It’s likely in regards to nutrition that you know more than them. Dr's always want to fatten up thin kids to get them on par with the rest of the kids in this country (obesity epidemic!), but because veg kids often eat more fruit, veggies and other lower calorie but higher nutrient-dense foods instead of high-calorie, high fat foods such as doritos, ice cream and mac & cheese, then it's common sense that they will be thinner.

Don’t worry about being perfect: the typical standard American toddler eats the same few foods over and over (chicken nuggets, mac & cheese, ice cream, pizza) so by not feeding these foods, you’re already ahead of the game! It's not about purity, it's about the overall picture. SHOCKING STATS! 1) Protein- if you’re eating a sufficient caloric diet, then it’s almost impossible to be deficient in protein. The protein myth in this country was created by meat industry, and we typically get 400x more protein that we need. Animal protein is what’s killing us! According to Forks Over Knives...“We’ve never treated a single patient with protein deficiency, yet the majority of patients we see are suffering from heart disease, diabetes and other chronic diseases resulting from trying to get enough protein”2) 25% toddlers between 1-2yrs old eat no fruits/veggies at all! 3) American kids eat less than 2% of their entire diet from fruits/veggies! They move into adulthood eating 90% of their calories from dairy products, white flour, sugar, and oil. 4) Heart Disease risk factors are being seen in kids as young as 10yrs old. 5) CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) has predicted that this is the first generation of children that may NOT outlive their parents. 6) By the time American children are 15 months old, French fries have become their most commonly consumed vegetable. Social SideKids don't want to feel left out or different; they want to fit in with their peers. So it's our job as parents to help them with this. There are also ways for kids to gain a better understanding and appreciation for why their family is choosing a vegan diet. Here are a few suggestions:

Visit a farm sanctuary- so kids can get up close and personal withrescued animals. These sanctuaries are very successful in creating a powerful, long-lasting connection to animals. Kids are less likely to want to eat animals after meeting them. Since most vegans don’t visit zoos, this can be a good replacement for that.

Make holidays and events extra special- you can come up with new family traditions, but try to also include some classic traditions that other kids will be doing- just do it with a vegan twist. Nowadays almost everything can be "veganized." For example, you can make avegan gingerbread house, color wooden or paper macheeggs instead of dyingreal eggs, snack on vegan jelly beans, and makevegan candy cornfor Halloween.

Read kids books that affirm vegan values- where animals are respected and shown in a positive light, rather than being used by humans in exploitative situations such as in zoos, circuses, and horse-drawn carriages. Skip the books that show kids eating hot dogs, drinking milk, eating ice cream, fishing, etc. Vegbooksis the best online resource for finding veg-friendly books. Also read books about brave people throughout history who were once viewed as being different and in the minority such as those who worked for the abolition of slavery, women’s suffrage, and civil rights but were later viewed as heroes, who despite challenges, spoke up for what was right.

Find a vegetarian/vegan parenting group in your community, and if there isn’t one, start your own. It’s really important for kids to be around other veg kids, and it’s also a great resource for veg parents to get together with other like-minded parents to exchange advice, ideas/tips, recipes, etc. If you live in the NYC area, join theNYC Vegetarian and Vegan Families Meetup.

Show your kids the power of activism. If they feel strongly about a specific animal or issue, encourage them to join a protest, write a letter to a newspaper, have a vegan bake sale, hand out literature, or create an art project. They’ll most likely have fun doing this, and it will teach them to be a voice for the voiceless.

Remember there are opportunities for teaching kindness and empathy all around us- here in NYC every time I step outside I come across pigeons, squirrels, and bugs such as spiders, ants and flies. Teach kids to respect these not so cute and cuddly creatures as well. Encourage your kids to stop and watch their behaviors. Instill curiosity and reverence. Model kindness by teaching them to never intentionally step on creatures/animals, chase them, or hit them.

Take advantage of social media to create a virtual support community. Ask questions, get advice and share some of your own tips and ideas with other vegetarian/vegan parents. Follow on Twitter & Pinterest and LIKE on Facebook any and all pages related to vegan kids/vegan parenting. You will be exposed to wonderful articles, recipes, ideas, and inspiration.